thanks for the advice, I have taken it all on board. I am thinking touch typing this summer would be useful, as he types soooo slowly it is barely worth it. Could it really work with an on-line programme? I was thinking finding a course.

mind mapping is a new word to me, but I think I know what you mean.

I am meeting up with his teacher this week, just to ask what more I can do to help him.

This morning he spent extra time learning his spellings, he says he does not like being bottom of the class. I feel sad for him feeling sad, but happy that his response is ...to try harder!

It is just all these ups and downs, swings and roundabouts are a bit tiring. I am normally calm about it, and think he will get there in his own time, but when the "cold hard" results of tests are presented it can be a bit of a blow, somehow.

DS has related problems, though not dyslexia. He goes to a private tutor who showed him mind maps last week and they seemed to help. On Nessy fingers, he went from 5wpm to 10 in an afternoon and then 12wpm a day later. So, its already faster than his writing speed.I'd recommend you try something like this at home first. Mainly because it is so expensive to hire tutors to each anything but also because its more fun this way and less stressful than having to go out to see a stranger who would sit and watch while he types.

DS (9) has dyslexia. I understand the struggle. They work so hard and if they didn't have dyslexia they would be flying given the work they have to put in just to stand still at times.

Ds has 1 2 1 three times a week from the school. We investigated irlen syndrome and he has it. Unfortunately its not on the NHS and it is expensive for the glasses but the difference in his reading is unbelievable. He's now at 3 c which I wouldn't have imagined this time last year he was struggling so much.

The British dyslexia association have a list of tutors, some of whom teach touch typing and spelling. The touch typing ds does uses different colours over the keys so he knows which fingers to use on each colour Again this seems to be helping although he has only just started so we'll see how he goes.

Additionally he was referred for a salt assessment and they have put him in a language group to develop working memory and verbal skills. It is hard work for ds but he is responding to it and seems to like it. I think because he is starting to see the results himself.

It is really hard to know where to start to help them, half of the stuff ds is doing is because I have colleagues whose dc have dyslexia and have lots of tips. The BDA is a good website to refer too as other posters have said.